Jets' young guns impress in 3-2 overtime loss

Mark Scheifele cycles in front of the Bruins net in the first period. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSLoui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins and Paul Postma of the Winnipeg Jets jostle in front of Ondrej Pavelec in the first period. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSOlli Jokinen watches a shot go past Boston Bruins goaltender Niklas Svedberg during the first period. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSFrom left: Jacob Trouba, Olli Jokinen, Devon Setoguchi and Evander Kane convene after Setoguchi scored for the Jets in the first period. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSMark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets goes hard into the boards in the first period. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSBoston Bruins' Loui Eriksson (left) takes out Winnipeg Jets' Olli Jokinen during the first period. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSPaul Postma is chased by Gregory Campbell of the Boston Bruins in the first period. - Winnipeg Jets' Jacob Trouba (left) and Dustin Byfuglien joke around during a commercial break. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSBoston Bruins' Brad Marchand (63) and Patrice Bergeron (37) celebrate Bergeron's goal as Michael Frolik looks on during the first period. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSPatrice Bergeron waits for the faceoff against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSWinnipeg Jets' Michael Frolik waits for the faceoff during the second period. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSBoston Bruins head coach Claude Julien talks with Brad Marchand (63) and Patrice Bergeron (37) during a commercial break. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSEric Tangradi is checked by Boston Bruins' Matt Bartkowski. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSOlli Jokinen (centre) and Paul Postma (right) squeeze Torey Krug off the puck. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSDustin Byfuglien reacts after receiving a penalty for crushing Torey Krug. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSBoston Bruins goaltender Niklas Svedberg stops a shot by Jim Slater during the second period as Dougie Hamilton (27) covers the rebound. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSThe game get chippy in the second period. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSOndrej Pavelec tracks a puck during the second period. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSMark Scheifele and Torey Krug get tangled up. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSWinnipeg Jets converge on the puck in front of goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSLoui Eriksson celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal for the Boston Bruins in overtime. - JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS

They’ve got some work to do on the results but some nights more than others — and Thursday was one of those nights — it’s easy to see why NHL pre-season games are both good and necessary.

The Winnipeg Jets gave up a 2-1 third-period lead and lost 3-2 in overtime to the Boston Bruins at the MTS Centre, but front and centre for the home team was another glimpse into the future.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Mark Scheifele goes hard into the boards during the first period of Thursday night's pre-season game against the Boston Bruins at the MTS Centre. Photo Store

Prominent in mostly good ways were Jets centre Mark Scheifele and defenceman Jacob Trouba, the rookies who symbolize real change and real hope.

Trouba was named a game star for his 23 minutes 28 seconds of play and Scheifele gave the Jets a third-period go-ahead goal, his first of the pre-season.

"I thought that the guys that had a lot to prove tonight really showed that they tried to impress," Jets coach Claude Noel said later, meaning the rookies plus a few other players in battles for roster spots.

On Scheifele and his bid to be the team’s second- or third-line centre this season, you can tell the coach is growing a little warmer.

"A little trouble early in the game, I thought," Noel said. "But I thought he played a lot better as the game went on.

"The goal was a relief for Mark, a big play at a key time for us. And he was better on faceoffs in the second and third and that was an area of concern for us."

Still, the Jets lost again in the exhibition round, now 1-3-3 in their seven outings, with the final one coming tonight against the Bruins in Saskatoon.

A different mark

Scheifele has been less flashy in this training camp than when he piled up points as a fresh draftee two Septembers ago.

And that’s a good thing, if you see what matters.

"It’s not about the points," he said after the game and his first goal in five pre-season games. "It’s about being reliable defensively, winning faceoffs. It’s about the team play. It’s not about individual stats or about any of that.

"It’s about helping the team win and doing the simple things. That’s been my focus. I haven’t focused on the points at all. That comes from playing a hard, simple game. It’s about doing the simple things and working my hardest."

Scheifele’s faceoff tally improved as the night went on, from two wins out of seven in the first to a final of seven out of 13.

And the chemistry with Thursday linemates Devin Setoguchi and James Wright was developing.

"Whoever I’m out with, I try to talk and pick their brain and see what kind of tendencies they have," Scheifele said.

Setoguchi, who also had his first goal of the pre-season, said he sees some progress with Scheifele.

"It’s tough to tell," Setoguchi began. "I think he’s doing a great job. Obviously he’s got poise with the puck and he makes the right plays and he scored a big goal tonight.

"Still, it amps up when you get to the regular season but obviously he’s been playing good."

Lead lost

After Scheifele put away his power-play goal, a fine hustle off the right wing to retrieve and deposit a dumped-in rebound off the backboard, the Bruins were back even in two minutes.

Ryan Spooner’s point shot found the back of the net when the Scheifele line got pinned and then Loui Eriksson buried the winner in the extra period, converting a two-on-one.

The result didn’t sit well with some on the home side.

"It’s nice to get a goal obviously, but the main thing is to get the win," Setoguchi said, frowning.

Decisions, decisions

The team’s fourth-line combination still isn’t clear, but the likes of centre Patrice Cormier, wingers Anthony Peluso and Chris Thorburn in particular helped themselves with their efforts.

"We’ll see where it all shakes out, but I think they helped themselves," Noel said.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

Live Winnipeg Jets Coverage

@garylawless: My take - scheifele and Trouba cemented jobs with #nhljets tonight. Jokinen has been given every chance to win 2nd line C. Scheifele wins it 9:46 pm on Sep 26

@WFPEdTait: Jacob Trouba leads all #NHLJets with 15:07 of ice time thru two periods. Mark Scheifele was 4 for 5 in the second in face-off dot. 8:25 pm on Sep 26

@WFPEdTait: One of the better periods for the #NHLJets through the preseason. Trouba continues to impress. 8:12 pm on Sep 26

@Tim Campbell: The Jets have caught up to the pace of the game. Now through 2 periods at MTS Centre, it's still 1-1. Winnipeg had two PPs in second period to Boston's one, now ahead on the shots chart, 22-17. 8:12 pm on Sep 26

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